


The Aftermath of Rain

by agarwoods



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hope, Mental Illness, PTSD, Reader-Insert, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-29 17:03:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12089439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agarwoods/pseuds/agarwoods
Summary: He remembers the sun, blurred in his memory now, but bright and existing once upon a time, and wonders if he made the right choices at the wrong time, or the wrong choices at the right time.[V/Reader]





	1. Intersection

**Author's Note:**

> Slow builds are slow builds. I'm also rusty but hopefully this means the return of writing actively again. Constructive criticism is welcome.
> 
> [[Playlist for this fic.](https://8tracks.com/ashflower/take-a-chance-on-me)]

Most nights, V wakes up when the moon is still high in the sky. Silvery freckles scatter all around his room, but all that he sees is the stark contrast of the shadows hidden within. He knows that Seoul City is alive at night, but he hears nothing but the rise and fall of his chest — cautious breathing that requires his effort to steady. He feels the thumping of his heartbeat vividly underneath his skin, and although his vision is blurry, there is comfort in being able not to see with his eyes wide open.

This is because, when his eyes are fully closed, he still remembers sight. He remembers both the good and the bad; the beautiful and the ugly; the love and the hate. He remembers vividly of the memories painted into his brain, and of the fantasies that plague his mind. 

V’s hands tremble when they search for the medicine on his bedside table, and the canteen of water often splatters a few drops stray of the glass cup, but V still manages. The medicine tastes dry across his tongue and slides painfully down his throat, and only with a large gulp of water does he finally feel okay. 

When he wakes up a few hours later, the light of day shines through his windows. The unsettling atmosphere of his nightmares have faded away and it takes a moment for reality to sink in for him. He is awake, he tells himself. He is awake and breathing, and his nightmares are gone, _and_ — he is awake.

—

“How are you today, Jihyun?” Dr. Kim asks, upon entering the room.

V smiles and replies that he’s doing well, but the dark bags underneath his eyes tell a different story. Nevertheless, the doctor seems to know it all anyway as he writes something down onto his clipboard, and asks, “Do you need a refill on your sleeping medication?”

The smile on V’s face is strained, flimsy at best, but defeated as he voices a quiet affirmation. 

The surgery had been a success, but Kyungrok had still warned him that his sight will be a fickle thing during the recovery period. It will come and go, and it won’t return to the way it had been originally, but V had been reassured that he will see again.

“You’re wearing your sunglasses today.” Kyungrok points out.

“Yes,” Jihyun replies, absently touching the rims of his glasses laid in his lap. “…The sun was bothering me earlier.”

The doctor hums, and scribbles something on the paper again, then clicks away his pen. He takes out his ophthalmoscope and asks for Jihyun to look ahead.

“Your eyes _do_ look a little bit irritated,” he says. “Have your eye drops run out?”

“They’re almost done.”

“That’s fine. I’ll write down a new prescription for you as well. We’ll do a full check-up today since your eyes don’t seem to be in the best condition, and we just want to be sure.”

“Alright.”

For the most part, the visit goes well. Aside from the initial irritation of the eyes and the lack of sleep, Jihyun is in fine condition. Kyungrok says that there doesn’t seem to be any infection or further complications with his eyes, but still advises him to be careful and to keep up with his medication. When they get to reading the Snellen chart, Jihyun has to admit that his vision really isn’t the greatest that day. The first few slides are fine, but afterwards, his responses become slow and hesitant. 

By the fifth slide, the letters are almost completely blurred, and in a quiet voice, he’s forced to admit, “I can’t see the rest.”

“That’s fine,” Kyungrok says, and although the room has turned dark, Jihyun can hear the distinctive sound of pen scribbling against paper. 

The thing about being blind, losing one of your senses, is that all your others heighten in the place of the missing one. Every other action or feeling that one would normally otherwise miss, are not so easy to ignore. He’s become hyperaware of everything around him, of the love and hate, the scrutiny and the pity; it’s hard to deny his sensitivity. Still, Jihyun _does_ try to ignore the incessant scribbling…

“You haven’t been taking any other medicine, right?”

“Just the usual.”

Kyungrok nods again. Then, just before going to turn the lights back on, lets him know that he can put his glasses back on. V does so with a quiet thanks, relieved when the otherwise bright lights aren’t so startling when they turn on. 

“What you’re feeling today, regarding your eyes, is a common symptom of the surgery. The irritation and blurriness shouldn’t last for longer than a day or two, but if it persists, then please inform me. For now, the eye drops should alleviate the irritation.” 

Jihyun knows that this is normal. He’s not afraid of losing his sight again, but he doesn’t dare say it aloud. However, he doesn’t realize the sardonic smile that plays on his lips is visible for the doctor to see, and when Kyungrok quirks an eyebrow, Jihyun finds himself instinctively apologizing. 

“What for?” Dr. Kim asks. Whether he’s feigning ignorance or truly doesn’t know, it’s hard to say. Nevertheless, Jihyun shifts uncomfortably in his seat. His fingertips touch the side of his glasses and he looks to the side.

“For being so troublesome,” he replies.

Kyungrok smiles, and shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it. Out of all my patients, you’re probably one of the least troublesome.”

There’s probably some truth to that, Jihyun thinks. But, Kyungrok is probably just being kind about it anyway. He nods his head without really accepting the compliment — or pseudo-compliment — and prepares to leave. 

However, before they exit the room, Kyungrok hands him his prescription and asks, “Are you still going to therapy?”

There’s hesitation for a moment, before he replies, “Yes.”

“That’s good.” Kyungrok says, then, reassuringly, “You’re getting better. I know that it’s hard right now, but your results have shown a massive improvement than from when you first arrived… And, I’m sure you know already, but, you’ll only get better if you want to. So be sure to keep up with your appointments.”

Something about the way that Kyungrok responds makes Jihyun feel as if the doctor knows — knows that Jihyun has lied about being well, or maybe Jihyun is being sensitive. Regardless, he nods his head, and the two men walk out to the reception area together. The head receptionist hands Kyungrok a file and he responds by telling her to schedule next month’s appointment for Jihyun. 

“Should I call you a cab, Mr. Kim?” the receptionist, asks. 

“No, I can manage on my own. Thank you for the offer.”

The room is otherwise silent as Jihyun waits for his appointment card. Even though he and the doctor have known each other for a long time, there is not much to be said between the two of them. The two of them had never really had clashing personalities, but it couldn’t be said that they had similar personalities either. While Jihyun preferred to keep to himself or with Jumin and Soojin, Kyungrok had been more sociable. 

Looking at it now, it seems that not much has changed since ten years ago and now…

“Oh,” the receptionist suddenly says, “There was a woman who came to look for you, Dr. Kim. I’m not sure where she went now, but she said her last name was Min.”

Kyungrok looks up with a start, one that catches both the receptionist and Jihyun off guard— “Had she left long ago?”

Before the receptionist can respond, footsteps resound from the hallway. Curiously glancing towards the noise, Jihyun can see the form of a woman approaching them. She’s holding a cup of coffee to her lips, biting on the rim of it, while looking around. She doesn’t seem to notice them until a few moments later when she turns her head and notices the duo by the counter. 

Grinning brilliantly, you lower your cup and raise a hand in greeting. “Hey doc.”

“What are you doing here?” Kyungrok asks, rolling his eyes. On the surface, it’s easy to misunderstand that he’s annoyed by your presence, but Jihyun can hear the affection in Kyungrok’s tone. 

“You forgot your watch last night.” You pull a sleek-looking watch from your purse, dangling it in front of you. “You’re lucky that Youngsik saw it on his way out. He just left for the airport, y’know.”

“It’s not like you’ll be doing anything all day,” he retorts, receiving the watch.

“You forget, I don’t actually own a phone in Korea yet so good luck trying to find me.” 

Jihyun can see the teasing, yet triumphant quirk of your lips. When Kyungrok just sighs in response, you both know that the doctor has been rendered speechless and has effectively lost the banter. It’s a little bit endearing, he thinks, but when he realizes that he had been staring too long, Jihyun glances away. 

It is then when you finally notice the stranger beside Kyungrok. “Sorry, was I interrupting?”

“No, not at all,” Kyungrok replies. “I think Jihyun was just leaving, anyway.” He turns to the man you don’t know, and asks, “Are you sure you’ll be fine on your own?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine.”

“Alright… I’ll see you in a few weeks, then, Jihyun.”

When the man sends you a curt nod before departing, you return the favour in the same manner. Yet even though he is already walking off, you find yourself unable to look away. You’ve seen this person before. You _recognize_ him — the frost-like hair and the lithe physique.

But you don’t know him.

It bothers you that you can’t recall from where you’ve seen him, or if it’s just a misplaced imagination inside of your head, but you still can’t shake off that bothersome feeling. 

“Something wrong?” Kyungrok asks.

“I’ve… seen that person before.” 

“You probably have,” he replies with a light shrug. “Jihyun used to date Seo Hyemi a long time ago.”

You’re not sure if you’ve seen that man with Hyemi specifically before. “I don’t think that’s it…”

“Ahn Minyoung?”

You promptly shake your head. Minyoung shows off her boyfriends like designer bags; you’d have promptly placed him as Minyoung’s ex-boyfriend if you had seen them before together. “No, not her.”

“What about Son Chaeyeon?”

Here, you cannot help your incredulity as you whirl around with wide eyes at the doctor. “Her too?!”

Perhaps he had been expecting that sort of response, because Kyungrok seems as nonchalant as ever as he peruses through his next client’s profile. “Jihyun has always been in a relationship as far as I can remember. If not any of them, then you’ve probably seen him around before nonetheless. His parents are pretty famous and he’s quite close with Han Jumin.”

You suppose that makes sense. Yet you still cannot shake the nagging feeling that you’ve seen him somewhere else before, somewhere not amidst the elites of Seoul, or amongst your circle of friends. You know that you remember that pale hue of turquoise hair and that tall, lanky frame, as vague as your memories of him are. But, admittedly, there is something missing. What,you’re not sure, only that his presence isn’t the exact same as the one that you recall inside of your memories.

“…I guess you can never judge a person by their looks.”

“I don’t think he’s a bad looking guy.”

“I guess not, but… He seems kind of gloomy?”

“I don’t think sick people are obligated to be cheerful,” he quips, and you can’t help the way that you snicker at his unconventional response. It’s snide and cynical, and not at all what you would expect from a doctor, but you suppose there’s some truth to his words.

“I see your sense of humour is as unconventional as always, Kyungrok.”

“Regardless,” he says, changing the subject. “It’s not a good thing to be nosy. My next appointment is coming up, so I’ll have to get going.” He finally closes the file in his hands, and meets your gaze firmly. There’s something in his gaze that holds more than just affection and you find yourself swallowing hard. “I’ll see you later?” he asks.

“We’ll see.” You grin shamelessly at him, despite recognizing the affectionate look in his eyes. Your words are empty and fleeting, but Kyungrok just sighs in response, as if already expecting that sort of reply. Breezily, you wave at him with both hands and wish him a good-luck with his next client, and make your way out of the hospital, unworried about the way that you leave things unsettled between the both of you. 

Some things, you know, are better left as they are.

Upon exiting, you notice Kyungrok’s client sitting on a bench outside of the hospital entrance. You don’t know him at all, but Kyungrok seems to have known him for long, and you’re still mildly curious about him. You’re about to walk over to offer him a ride to wherever it is that he needs to go when the taxi pulls up as soon as you take one step forward. Jihyun says something to the driver, then finally gets into the back seat.

Since his ride has already arrived, then you suppose that there’s not much else that you can do. You turn on your heel, sneaking one last curious glance his way, at the car that drives off safely, before you walk away. Your curiosity for him is indefinable; you’re not sure why it bothers you so much that you can’t place from where you’ve seen this man before, but, with the shake of your head, you force your thoughts to shift. He’s a stranger, if even a familiar one, and in a city as large as Seoul, the chances of you encountering him again is slim to none. 

You won’t see this enigmatic young man again. Even though it’s a shame, you think, because after being away from Seoul for so long, it’d be nice to see some familiar faces. 

But he has already gone, and there is no use wondering about the possibilities. So you shift your attention on the day ahead of you, wondering what to do the city that you were born in, but is still so, so foreign to you.

“Maybe I should get something to eat first…”

You know that there’s no logical reason why your paths have intersected the way it did, but if there’s anything that you have learnt over the years, it is that coincidences do not just happen. People make them happen, or fate does. And in the near future, you will find that your paths will cross more than just once again.


	2. Unintentional Liar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not really into this chapter. I struggled a lot writing it, but I knew that if I don’t push this chapter out, then it’ll be a long time before I actually move forward with this fic.

It’s hard to see straight. The text blurs in front of him, bleeding into smudges on the screen. Even when he blinks once, twice, thrice — his vision does not clear. With one hand fumbling through his drawer for his eyedrops, V rises from his seat to excuse himself when he notices a shadow looming over him.

“Hey, are you alright?”

The attempt to shuffle through his drawer is immediately halted, and Jihyun shuts it close once more. It resounds with a loud slam, unintentional, but one that makes him wince nonetheless.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine,” he replies, smiling as best as he can. But even Jihyun can tell that his smile unconvincing, and the attempt falls from his face after a bitter grimace.

Thankfully Taewoong isn’t the persistent type. There is uncertainty on his face, but he does not pry any further and instead takes the response with a grain of salt. 

“Alright…” he says. “I just came by to remind you that the briefing is going to be held in ten minutes. Do you need me to help prepare anything?”

“No, that’s fine. I’ll just need a few minutes to collect my things.”

“I’ll wait for you then.” Taewoong says, taking a seat on a chair across from Jihyun. It is then that Jihyun finally notices that the younger man has brought along his dossier of reports — he’d been prepared since long ago.

Jihyun smiles helplessly, but continues to search through his desk for the files on Legend Group. He can feel Taewoong’s curious gaze on him throughout, and he doesn’t mind it, not really. It is harmless; Taewoong often reminds him of a cat, or a hamster—curious and full of energy. But there is obvious anxiety on the younger man’s face. He cannot stop fidgeting with the dossier in his hands, and his eyes carry a hint of worry.

“Is there something wrong?”

“A-ah…” Taewoong stammers, then, after looking around carefully, leans towards Jihyun and asks, “Have you ever met Legend’s CEO?”

“No, I haven’t. Why?”

“Oh… It’s just… I’m kind of nervous,” he admits. “I’ve heard… not-so-pleasant things about him.”

Jihyun pauses. He can remember Jumin mentioning the CEO a while ago. Legend Group and C&R were often more rivals than business partners; Jumin had mentioned an incident three years ago where Legend and C&R were vying for the same real estate property. He had complained that the CEO was intelligent, and certainly talented, but a difficult one to deal with.

“Like what?” Jihyun asks, mostly to muse the younger man.

“Oh.” Taewoong pauses for a moment, then replies, “Well, he’s still young, you know? Barely even 40 and running his own company… They say that he started with nothing…”

“Everybody has to start out with something.”

“It’s not just that… You really don’t know what people say about them?”

“No, what?”

“They’re a family of hustlers,” Taewoong whispers, as if it is blasphemy to say the words louder than he should. “The oldest is intelligent and seems polite on the outside, but everyone says that he’s not someone to offend. The second son is the family lawyer; his wife is the daughter to a state congressman. And don’t forget the last two — they’re the soldiers, the ones called the knight and rook. Whatever their leader demands, they carry out.”

The information is baffling, sounding like something straight out of fiction, and Jihyun finds it hard to absorb. He smiles a bit wanly at the younger man, unsure of how to respond.

“They seem like well-mannered people on the outside, but I’ve heard they’re more like gangsters when no one’s watching… I’ve even heard that they’ve done this—“ Saying so, he brings his hands together to form a gun, and pretends to shoot him right in the chest. “ _Hasta la vista,_ y’know?”

This time, V cannot hold back his laughter anymore. He’d heard many ridiculous stories, but the young man is so endearing in his tale. It is hard to believe that such a diligent, hard-working man can be so naive to believe tales of hearsay.

“Even if those rumours exist,” Jihyun starts, with the light-hearted smile still on his lips. “Surely you’ve got to give Mr. Han some credit. He wouldn’t work with unethical people.”

“…That’s true,” Taewoong mutters, yet the disbelief is still there.

In order to reassure the younger man, Jihyun pats him on the shoulder and rises from his seat once more, having collected his documents. Then, the two of them head towards Jumin’s office where they find him going through papers of his own. Nevertheless, he offers them a seat at his sofa and joins them after a few minutes. 

The briefing is a short one. Most of the information is stuff that they have already learnt in previous sessions so this time, it is only a reiteration of what they know. Despite this, Taewoong still goes through his report with much detail. It is only supposed to be a quick briefing, but the younger man is clearly passionate about his job, eager to do the best that he can. Without mentioning the rumours and hearsay about Legend Group, he reminds both Jihyun and Jumin of their history with other companies and their potential in the upcoming future.

Legend Group is a small company, but one that is rapidly growing. In less than a decade, they have already started expansions in other parts of Asia, yet what is the most curious is that they have an even larger base located in the United States. Although they initially started out as an importing company, they have also created their own local resources not only in food, but in fashion and real estate. During the bidding war for real estate in Jeju Island — in order to raise tourism awareness of the beautiful location — Legend was one of the few companies that were able to receive a permit to build a hotel and resort on the island. It was this very reason that made C&R pay more attention to the small company, because Jumin had also been eyeing that very same property at the time. 

Nevertheless, they have swiftly expanded their resources and have become a dark horse in the world of business in not only Seoul, but also across Asia. 

Compared to the information that Taewoong has collected, Jihyun’s folder is smaller. His only duty had been to write up the paperwork for the collaboration between both companies, C&R’s offer, and Legend’s counter-offer.

“It’s not much,” Jihyun admits, “Their CEO certainly is a shrewd one. For everything that we requested, he either made an alternative choice for us, or responded with a similar request. We won’t really gain much of a leverage over them.” Then, after a moment, he asks, “Do you really suppose that this collaboration is worth it, Mr. Han?”

While saying so, Jumin goes over the contracts once again. He nods his head after a few moments, but does not look away from the papers.

“That is fine,” Jumin says. “We already expected as much from him. Otherwise, we would have never sought him out. It is fine if we have to meet them half way, as long as it does not result in a loss from our company. And, as it stands, in the long run, even if we don’t make an immediate profit right now, I am sure that with this collaboration, we will still stand to achieve the results that we want. We are only using Legend for their connections in China, the very same way that they are using us to expand in South Korea.”

In spite of their name and prowess, it is true that Legend’s growth has been stunted — and when Jumin looks up with an sly smile, Jihyun has the feeling that perhaps C&R had been involved with their lack of progress.

“Anyway,” Jumin starts, closing the dossier and placing it onto his coffee table. He looks at Taewoong, and says, “You did well compiling the work. I expect that you will continue your efforts for the official meeting, and afterwards.”

“Yes, sir. I will do my best.”

“Then, you are dismissed,” Jumin says, and after the younger man has gone, he turns to his friend-now-turned-assistant. “Do you have any plans for lunch, V?”

“Did you want to go somewhere?”

“Soojin asked about you the other day. It has been a while since the three of us got together, so why don’t you join us for lunch?”

“I wouldn’t want to impose, Jumin—“

“Nonsense,” he says. “Besides, she’d feel reassured if she saw for herself that you were actually eating.”

Knowing that the other man is unwilling to accept a refusal, Jihyun smiles helplessly and finally nods his head. It is true that it has been a long time since the three of them got together, but both Soojin and Jumin have always respected his privacy. They never forced him or imposed their beliefs unto him; this is one of the few times that Jumin has requested his presence, and it would be hard to say no otherwise.

When they arrive at the restaurant, Soojin is already seated at the table. The imagery between her and Jumin is so similar that Jihyun has to do a double-take. Even though this is their lunch hour, she is still reading what looks to be work documents at the table, with a binder of her own opened before her and her head rested in her hand. 

But when they start getting closer, almost as if it is sixth sense to her, she suddenly looks up, surprised at first but breaks out into a smile upon recognition. 

“Hi there,” she says, and the warmth in her tone and smile is so familiar that any apprehension Jihyun might have had is promptly disintegrated.

The both of them return the greeting, but as Jumin moves to take his seat beside her, he leans down to plant a soft kiss on the corner of her lip causing Jihyun to instinctively look away for consideration. Nevertheless, he takes his own seat from across Jumin and opens the menu, distracting himself as he gives his friends their privacy.

“Is this for work?” Jumin asks, glancing at her papers. 

“Mm, yeah. I just want to make sure that everything will be perfect for the exhibition.”

Here, Jihyun looks up. It is second nature to him; the mention of art has always been fascinating to him, and even though it has been a long time since he partook in the activity, there are times when the genre still slips through the cracks of his day-to-day life. It is even harder to forget when he’s around Soojin, and suddenly he remembers why the two of them haven’t met in so long — not that it’s the only reason, but one of many. The reminder of the cracks in their relationship is bitter, and it’s hard to swallow down the guilt that wants to appear on his face.

“Right,” Jumin says, sliding the binder over to his side of the table. “I’m not sure if I understand why his collections have become so popular, but I suppose there is vibrancy to his works.”

“Pop vinyl works have become very popular in recent years,” she explains. “Modern art has shifted from traditional works; even though the same materials are used, the execution has changed. With access to so many different resources and inspirations, it’s fascinating how much more creativity has advanced. It’s almost revolutionary.”

Her eyes light up despite the calmness of her voice, evidence of her passion of the topic and both men find themselves heartfelt at her 

When she realizes that she’d been rambling, Soojin laughs shyly and shifts her stare away from the binder. She tucks a piece of hair behind her ears and finally meets Jihyun’s gaze from across the table.

“How have you been, Jihyun?”

He almost wants to look away out of instinct, but manages to keep her gaze for a second as his lips curl despite his apprehension. “I have been well, thank you.” 

Yet for the second time that day, he knows that his response is flimsy at best. The smile on Soojin’s face falters for a second and this time, Jihyun _has_ to look away. Instead of continuing with the topic, she changes it, and he’s thankful for her silent consideration. 

“The piece we commissioned from Kanda has arrived,” she says to Jumin. “Should we have it sent straight to Legend’s building, or should C&R take it first?”

“We can have it sent straight to the CEO with a card,” he replies.

Perhaps noticing the confused expression on his face, Jumin explains the situation. It turns out, the CEO of Legend Group is into vinyl toy collecting. Despite his age, he has an appreciation for pop art culture. 

This is new information for Jihyun. Neither he nor Taewoong had known of the fact, but Jumin just smiles slyly in response. It figures that even with help, Jumin has done his own research; he’s a thorough businessman, and it’s not something that Jihyun could imitate even if he wanted to.

He settles for a wan smile and shakes his head. 

Their lunch is a nice reunion between the three friends, but Jihyun is all-too-aware that he has become the third party here. A while into their meal, he excuses himself from the happy couple. They seem disappointed with his departure, but do not pressure him into staying. In the end, he leaves with an apology to reunite another day, but again, neither of them hold much pressure against him to keep his promise. 

In the end, they all know that he has become a liar, even if a poor one.


	3. Magnetic Curiosity

Traffic in Seoul is terrible in the early morning, but not unbearable. Despite the vehicles and buildings, the streets are clean and bright. You are able to see the bright sun in the blue sky, clear and devoid of any misgivings. 

It’ll be a beautiful day, you decide, as your lips curl into a smile. 

The voices of the men in the background are drowned by your silent musings, but when one of them calls your name, your ears pick up on the voice. You look away from the scenery outside of the car and towards the tablet held by Haneul beside you. In the video call, you see two other men — one who has an eyebrow raised despite the amused smile on his lips, and the other who stares at you with a stern expression.

“I’m listening,” you tell them both, casting them a lazy grin.

Your response is unconvincing, but neither of them scold you for it. The one with the stern expression ends up sighing at your nonchalance, but reminds you of your position.

“I am not able to be here today,” he says. “That is why I have left you in charge of this meeting. It’s fine if you act like this in front of us, but when you arrive at C&R, do pay attention, won’t you?”

Your grin turns absolutely wicked, and your second brother mimics the expression, having expected your deviousness.

“Youngsik already gave me his reports. It’ll be fine.”

“We just want to make sure that you are all caught up. This is a very expensive deal.”

“That’s fine,” you state. “In any case, I am confident. I just need to get the contract signed, don’t I? And… Jumin Han will sign the contract.”

It’s not a question of how well the job gets done — it’s just a matter of getting it finished. You’re not worried about the results. After all, with all of the chess pieces laid in front of you, only someone incapable will still lose. 

You haven’t lost before, and you won’t do so now either.

Your brothers, one in defeat, and the other in pride, grin at your response. It is still an approval of your words, and so, you can’t help the elation that swells inside of you.

“It’s this kind of attitude that gives us a bad reputation,” your oldest brother chides.

You snort in response, but don’t argue against his words. Yet despite that, Youngjae does not continue with his briefing. Instead, your brothers shift the topic of conversation to more casual topics — like the weather in Tokyo, and your parents recent request for a family get-together. There’s no particular event set to happen in the upcoming few weeks, but Youngjae agrees that it’s been too long since your family has gotten together, and declares that he will arrange for dinner at his own house when he returns from his overseas trip. 

For the most part, you nod along and only chime in with your own responses when appropriate. 

People have called your family ruthless for your sometimes aggressive business attitudes, but that’s only because they haven’t seen this side of them. 

A few minutes later, you are forced to end the video call as your car arrives at C&R’s entrance. Everything proceeds as appropriately, and you are escorted to the meeting room by a man whose name you learn is Taewoong Lee. You learn that he is one of two of Jumin Han’s assistants, and you’re impressed by the fact that the man seems so young, seemingly barely out of school, yet already an aide to someone who owns half of Seoul.

Your surprise doesn’t end there, however, and you are startled by your next encounter.

When the doors to the meeting room open, you’re surprised to recognize the man sitting beside Jumin Han. It’s unexpected to meet him this way, and for a moment, you forget your composure at the entrance of the room and freeze. Yet when you think about it, you suppose that you shouldn’t be too surprised — in the back of your mind, you recall Kyungrok telling you about the man’s position as Jumin Han’s best friend. It shouldn’t be too much of a shock that they work together. 

Still, it takes a nudge from Haneul behind you to remember your greetings. Thankfully you hadn’t frozen for too long; just enough for Haneul to not something was wrong, but for those unknowing of you, the mishap is unnoticeable. 

You put on your best smile and approach the three men seated at the elongated table, then introduce yourself as Legend’s replacement representative. 

“Unfortunately, my brothers were not able to make it back for today’s meeting, so they have left the signing of the contracts to me,” you state, then, gesturing to Haneul, continue, “You have already met Haneul. Today, he will also oversee our transactions on behalf of Legend Group.”

Once there is no protest against either yours or Haneul’s participations, you take a seat on the opposite side of Jumin. This leaves you in direct view of Jihyun who sits beside him, and judging by his expression that is focused on the papers in front of him, you assume that he does not remember you. 

It’s not like it matters, you think. It would probably be better that he doesn’t, but you still find it so amusing and slightly insensible that you do when your previous meeting had barely been even a few minutes. You don’t understand why he has left such an impression on you, but it is still an annoying reminder that you still cannot place from where you’ve met him before.

This time, the others _do_ catch onto your staring. Jumin glances from you to Jihyun, then, after a moment, asks if you know him. At the mention of his name, Jihyun finally looks up only to meet your gaze dead-on. His first reaction is to widen his eyes in a flustered sort of way; he seems embarrassed to be stared at in such a way and you’d also be embarrassed if not for the fact that you’re completely aware of your actions.

You laugh lightheartedly, breezily and shamelessly before you shift your gaze.

“We’ve met before,” you answer. “Actually, we seem to have a mutual friend in Dr. Kyungrok Kim of Dandelion Hospital.”

For some reason, the mention of your friend causes both men to look even more surprised. Yet the surprise on Jumin’s face is quickly overwritten by hostility — a fierce glint in his eyes locks on you immediately. The fact that Jihyun goes ghostly pale in a split second makes you wonder if you’ve brought up something that is sensitive, and for this, you apologize for your unintentional insensitivity.

“But that is neither here nor there,” you state, changing the subject. “Anyway, I believe that we should get this meeting started, Mr. Han?”

The momentary hostility is quick to disappear upon your words, and the range of emotion that he’s gone through in only a few seconds is a surprise to you. You’ve long heard stories of the robotic-acting young Mr. Han but this is beyond your expectations. 

“We should, Ms. Min,” he says, voice clear and concise. 

Beside you, you’re vaguely aware of the curious gaze Haneul has on you, but for the rest of the meeting, the topic goes unmentioned though not forgotten.

—

The meeting goes well, and aside from the initial bump upon the topic of Jihyun Kim, as expected. In the place of your brothers name is your own, signed, initialed, and dated.

Aside from your initial words to Jihyun, there are no more shared between the two of you, and though you leave no closer to solving the mystery of from where you’ve met him before, you are certain of one thing: it is that you will meet him again. Your paths will certainly intersect once more and it leaves a relieved feeling inside of you as you depart. 

“You know that assistant?” Haneul finally asks you, once you arrive inside your car.

“Not really,” you shake your head. “We’ve met before. Once through Kyungrok, and another time I’m sure.”

It’s almost comical how worried Haneul is. You can see the gears changing inside of his head as he tries to analyze your words. There’s nothing more to it, you tell him, trying to ease his worries, but he still shakes his head in protest.

“You need to understand,” he starts, “It’s different here than it is in the States. If you act so friendly towards someone, they might start to think that you have other intentions.”

“Intentions?”

“I’m saying that you should remember to keep a bit of reservation towards strangers, especially people that you work with.”

You’re not sure if you truly understand. You’re sure that you hadn’t meant anything more than your words. They asked a question and you answered. What else is there?

When it comes to cultural differences, you’re not sure if you entirely understand. But you suppose that Haneul has some weight to his words. It is because you don’t understand the cultural differences that you are unsure of any mistakes. 

“I’m only curious. I’ve met him before, but I don’t know from where, and it’s been bothering me. Haven’t you ever felt like this before, Haneul?”

“Of course,” he replies confidently. “But it’s not something that should always be pursued. Don’t you know that only a little bit of curiosity can lead to something more? Even if your intentions are pure, this is something that should be treaded on carefully. Your brothers have put much effort into achieving this collaboration, and Jumin Han is infamously protective of his family and friends.”

You laugh hard at the implication. 

“You’re thinking way too much about it, Haneul. I just want to remember where I’ve met him before, that’s all. I don’t care about anything else beyond that.”

Although he still looks unconvinced, Haneul finally lets the topic rest. Perhaps its the way that you’re so unbothered by his accusation that has given him confidence. Or maybe its the way that he knows that despite everything, you are a simple person with simple wants. The scheming and calculative type is not you, and you wouldn’t intentionally get close to someone with a goal in mind.

Or maybe he’s reassured for a completely other reason, one that has nothing to do with either you or Jihyun, but someone else entirely… A commitment of nearly ten years does not change just like that.

When he thinks about this person, he is certain that there is no hidden agenda, and he settles into his seat with his mind at ease.

Later on, when you reflect on his words and recall the same commitment made, you realize that perhaps you should have heeded his warning. It is true that only a little bit of curiosity is needed to lead to something more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As an FYI, MC has three brothers in this fic: Youngjae, Youngmin, and Youngsik. (In order of eldest to youngest.) Haneul is a company employee.


	4. The Best of Us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [My heart that once held you now have love thorns ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJqrWRMvXlg)

“How much do you love me, V?”

“As much as the sun loves the earth.”

She laughed then, happy and content with his response, and he smiled back because this was how things were supposed to be.

—

“Why do you love me, V?”

“Where should I start?” he replied, cheeky and charming, words infinitely saccharine. “Is it the way that when you smile, your entire face expression lights up? Is it your never-ending kindness? Maybe it’s your innocent hope…”

He thought that this was why, and so, she let him fill her up with sweetness. It didn’t matter as long as they both wanted to believe.

—

“You say you love me, but you won’t even do _this_ for me?”

A vivid part of him knew knew then that it was emotional manipulation at best, but still, he’d been committed to this girl since the first time he lay eyes on her. He was in love with her, dammit, and he wanted so much to believe.

It was so, so vivid that everything that they were doing was entirely misplaced, and he couldn’t escape that awareness but ultimately, he reasoned that this, too, was a form of happiness. At the end of the day, _they were in love_ , and they were happy. Some things in life required sacrifice, he told himself. A momentary pain was necessary in order to achieve lifelong bliss.

Since when he started making excuses, Jihyun wasn’t sure. He only realized too late that just because he found an excuse for virtually everything, it did not mean that they were true. He knew, he knew, deep down he _knew_. Soojin had said it best: he’d been willfully ignorant all throughout their relationship — and he started to understand all too late.

—

It’s silent. Time seems to still all around them before it comes at all once; the sound of the bullet casing falling to the floor, the torn gasps, the desperate pleas and cries of her name and—finally, the red that blooms through her clothes from her as she falls back. His hands tremble as he reaches out for her, capturing her in his arms and they fall to the floor with a clumsy thud.

“Why did you do this?” He’s not sure if she hears him; he barely even hears himself.

But she smiles, smiles in that peaceful way of hers as if she’d been prepared for this moment so long ago — to _die_ for him — and tells him, “There’s no reason why I wouldn’t, V.”

There’s an expression in her eyes that is prevalent amongst the remorse and regret. It’s startling how firm that emotion is. The contrast is too much when compared to the golden eyes that put a claim to that emotion and yet he’d never felt, not truly. And when the girl in his arms curls against him, gasping out in pain, he knows that his— _their_ — definition of love is vastly different.

The scene changes, and fades to another one. This time, he is all alone in a space that images nothing in particular, only blurry, incomprehensible lines. It’s a multitude of different darknesses; black, purple, blue, and green shades all mixed together that resembles some sort of bruise and maybe it’s a reflection of the marks laid upon his heart.

It hurts.

It hurts especially because he remembers declaring, “I would have done anything for you!” desperately towards the image of the girl he once loved inside of his dreams, but all that’s left are tremors of pleas clawing against the inside of his chest, and his voice fades out amongst the night.

In the end, it hadn’t even mattered.

In the end, he hadn’t been enough.

—

He scrubs hard at his skin until it is red and raw. It’s hard not to keep seeing the blood on them, even if many months have long since passed since that incident. He hadn’t been the one to fire the bullet, but it makes no difference when he’d equipped the almost-killer with the ammo.

He knows better than anyone that he should have died that day and yet, here he is, still living, still breathing. But for what reason? What purpose? It’s hard to find those answers when all Jihyun can think about is how undeserving he is.

Everyone has moved on, or has tried to, but it still feels like he is the only one who is unable to do so.

Soojin had recovered well since the incident, but every time he saw her, it was hard to ignore the guilt inside of him, hard to ignore the way she looked lying in his arms half-dead, knowing that it should have been him.

Because even though he had been manipulated and hurt, he had been manipulative himself, willfully ignorant, and secretive.

When the haze from the shower steam settles down, the reflection in the mirror is a tragedy. He knows just how pathetic he looks with tired eyes and pallid cheeks. Even his hair is unkempt, grown out from his once well-groomed, short locks. Yet despite this, it is still hard to find a reason why it matters. It should already be enough that he’s able to get out of bed every day.

Besides, he hadn’t asked for any of this. All he ever wanted to do was to love and be loved and— 

“ _I would have done anything for you!_ ”

He had done everything requested of him and more. Why did it turn out this way?

“ _All I ever wanted was to love you!_ ”

Suddenly, the pitter-patter of rainfall slips through his thoughts. When he glances to the side, he sees the gloomy entrance of rain, then the heavy downfall. Lightning flashes in the distance and replaces his anger with a dull sadness.

It is then that he notices the tremble in his grasp around his bathroom counter. The pressure of his strength is surprising even to himself, catches him unaware of how just much caution he’d been exerting. But he’s unable to tell now for what reason it comes from; the pressure of his heightened anger, or the collapse of his defeat?

Over the months, it has become harder and harder to discern between the lines.

In the end, Jihyun settles for a sigh as he releases his hold on the marble.

He can’t go on his morning jog, after all.

—

By the time noon rolls around, his house smells entirely of food. The kitchen island has more than enough food for at least a dozen people even though there’s only one mouth to feed. The realization comes as a disappointment to Jihyun when he realizes how much had actually made, and he finds himself at a loss of what to do with the remaining food. On the kitchen stove is still a pot of bouillabaisse simmering.

Jihyun settles for packaging them all into reusable containers to freeze. At least this way, he won’t need to cook again for the next few days.

Just as he turns his back to search through the cabinets for the containers, he hears his phone go off. It’s Jumin who calls, and he sticks his phone between his ear and shoulder.

“Hello, Jumin.”

“Yes, hello, V. Are you currently busy?”

“Not really. I’m just putting away some things at home. Can I help you with something?”

“Actually, I was wondering if I could come by today.”

“That’s fine. How long will you be?”

There’s a momentary shuffle. In the background, he can hear Jumin instructing Driver Kim to head to his house, and an almost silent laugh leaves his lips. Of course Jumin would already be on the way.

“I shouldn’t be more than twenty minutes, but do you mind if I have a guest come over as well? They should be there at around the same time.”

Surprised, Jihyun can’t resist asking whom the guest will be.

“A client?”

“No. I’d like to get your opinion on something, that’s all. Actually, I would have asked you to come over today if it wasn’t raining. But the weather reports said that it would be raining all day, so I did not want to give you a hassle.”

“Well, that’s fine. It works out perfectly. Have you eaten lunch yet? I’ve made some food, so we could eat together.”

“ _You_? Cooked?” This time, it’s Jumin who sounds surprised.

“It’s… a new hobby that I’ve picked up.”

“I can’t promise that I’ll like it, but I _am_ curious as to what skills you possess. I’ll see you soon, then.”

The call ends like that, and by the time the his security system alerts him of a guest, most of the food has been cleared from the kitchen counter.

Jihyun goes to open the door, and finds a man wearing a suit standing at the entrance carrying a case.

“Hello, I’m Park Minhyung. I apologize for intruding, but I’m here to meet Mr. Han,” he says, bowing his had slightly.

“Yes, Jumin had mentioned you. Please come in.”

Upon reaching the living room, Jihyun offers him a drink. Minhyung is a polite man, clearly not much older than Jihyun, but the professional air about him reminds him of Jumin. They both have that work-attitude that makes them seem much older than they are, and Jihyun finds himself sitting straighter than he normally would.

Still, Jihyun does try to make conversation with the other man. He’s a jewellery maker, Minhyung says. Jumin had commissioned a few pieces from him, and he was there to deliver them.

Meanwhile, Jihyun says that he’s Jumin’s friend and also employee. They have known each other for a long time, but it is true that Jumin can be difficult to work with.

“As his friend, I just want to say thank you for working so hard for him.”

“It’s not a problem,” Minhyung says, and there’s a sincerity in his voice that makes Jihyun smile. “Mr. Han is particular, but a preferred client. It is very easy to work with him because he knows what he wants.”

For a moment, the conversation dies down. Minhyung looks around the living room, curious, and can’t help but notice the many boxes around the house.

“Have you just moved here, Mr. Kim?”

Somewhat embarrassed, Jihyun hides a laugh behind his hand. “No, I’ve just been cleaning up… I haven’t really gotten around to putting them away yet.”

At this, the security system goes off again. This time, Jihyun does not need to open the door. Jumin enters casually, striding in after taking off his shoes and putting on a pair of house-slippers. His entrance into the room isn’t so much a surprise, but Jihyun is still thankful for his arrival.

After he settles in, the three of them finally start to discuss the matter with Minhyung. Opening his suitcase, he reveals a few smaller boxes, and the familiarity of their size and decor immediately reveals their use.

The rings are beautiful, as Minhyung opens the small boxes one by one, and shows them to Jumin. For each of the rings, Minhyung goes into detail their intricacies — the stone, size, meaning, and hours put into creating them. Every piece is met with approval, every piece seemingly more intricate than the other.

It is overwhelming, Jihyun thinks, as his eyes gaze over the rings laid out in front of him. Jumin has commissioned at least half a dozen pieces, and though he knows that they must be hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions of dollars worth, the thing that makes him the most overwhelmed is the implication that they hold.

“I am going to propose to Soojin,” Jumin says clearly, upon inspecting the third ring for himself. “I would like your blessing, Jihyun.”

It’s hard to ignore the thumping inside of his chest — not that he doesn’t want his friends to be happy, but because he can’t _not_ remember a familiar scene from so many years ago. Except, at that time, the roles had been in reverse.

“I would always give you my blessing, Jumin, as long as you’re happy.”

“I am,” Jumin confirms, smiling fondly, and his eyes linger on that third piece longer than the other two.

They both know that this ring is the one, and, this, too, is confirmed in a matter of seconds. Jumin smiles in satisfaction at Minhyung, and says, “This is the one.”

It is a simple piece with an oval stone in the centre decorated with filigree lacing on the border. The band is made of white-gold and has three tiny diamonds spaced on either side of the centrepiece. Compared to the other rings, this one is by far the most simple, but there is no denying that it suits Soojin perfectly.

When asked, Jihyun can’t even find a reason to deny it.

Of course, Jumin takes the other pieces as well, but this is the one he settles on using to propose to Soojin.

With this matter finished, Jumin finally writes out the cheque for the remaining balance on the rings, and Minhyung hands the briefcase to Jumin before leaving.

“I would like for you to be my best man,” he finally says, when the two of them are alone.

“Of course.”

Another satisfied smile appears on Jumin’s lips as they head over to the kitchen table to finally get some lunch. Jihyun knows that he is inexperienced when it comes to cooking, but still, he does want to get approval from Jumin, and when he finally dips into the bouillabaisse, an expectant look is on Jihyun’s face.

“How is it?”

Seconds pass as Jumin seems to saviour the food, but then he takes a sip of water. “It’s… salty,” he says, and his eyebrows crinkle. “And quite bland.”

It’s… disheartening to hear this sort of response, but Jumin has never been the type to sugar-coat his feelings or thoughts. Feeling slightly embarrassed, Jihyun scratches behind his ear and admits that his palate hasn’t been the best recently. It is true that his tastebuds require more adjustments than normal.

Jumin nods his head, perhaps sympathetic, and spins the plate around to inspect. “The colour is perfect,” he says. “And you’ve presented it beautifully, but... there is no substance. However, your artistry is still finely crafted as ever.”

A laugh, and then, Jihyun apologizes for the mistake but hopes to do better next time. Nevertheless, the both of them seem to manage through the rest of the meal when Jumin reveals another reason as to why he came.

“Actually, Soojin had wanted to ask you in person last time, but you left so abruptly that she didn’t have the chance,” he says, then looks up and meets Jihyun’s eyes straight-on. “Will you return to the RFA?”

—

Rain trickles harshly from outside your bedroom windows, and in the far distance, you can hear the sound of lightning strike. The sound makes your small dog move from her spot at the foot of your bed to your side, and she presses herself tightly against you. You laugh at her neediness, but stroke her fur softly in order to soothe her.

It rains a lot in Seoul, you’ve learnt, and you’re completely bored out of your mind. No shows seem to catch your interest, and none of your interests can hold your attention for very long.

But you’ve been told that Seoul always has something going on, and so, you start to search on your laptop for current events. Most of them are outdoors, but, you readjust your search to limit them to indoors events and quickly come across a page advertising the gallery in downtown Seoul, with a list of current and up-and-coming shows.

It is this moment that you finally recall a scene from many years ago, so brief and forgettable, but you haven’t forgotten at all, not truly.

You sit taller in your bed now, the movement making Luna whine in her comfort, but you stroke her fur softly in apology as the remembrance sinks in. It’s baffling for such a brief moment in time has left such a long impression, but you are sure of your answer now.

You _have_ met Kim Jihyun before, and you wonder that perhaps it is true that only a singular meeting is necessary in order to leave a life-long impression…

Some things only need that momentary second, a chance meeting of the eyes greeting from across the room, to unravel completely.

Some things in life, you’ll learn, are beyond your control.

Some things in life are already pre-determined.

A break in time, a knot in the red string, but once untangled, is still meant to be.

Even if you are years in the making.

—

_“How much do you love me, Rika?”_

_”Why do you love me, Rika?”_

_"Rika… Only you and I, when together, will create happiness."_


	5. Ordinary Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter song: [home is far away - epik high](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTD9Jysi3_g)

Sometimes, it happens in life that you will meet someone. It might be a secondary glimpse, a brief passing-by of one another on the sidewalk. You might not ever learn each other’s names, and you might not ever meet again, but your life will become devoid of that one second that originally belonged to you. 

You’ll never retrieve that one second, but, the memory might stay with you for a lifetime.

That day had been an ordinary day, clearly, an extremely ordinary day.

Today, is also an ordinary day.

—

Rain in Seoul seems endless, you think, as you glance out the storefront windows. It might be early in the morning, but the sky is still grey and rain trickles down the cool glass, blurring everything from your sight.

The sigh that leaves your lips is unintentional and perhaps noticing your displeasure, the sales clerk offers you a sympathetic smile, one that you return just as politely. When she finishes checking you out, you thank her with a few words but otherwise your conversation is kept to a minimum. Then, just as you start to make your way out, you take out your phone.

It’s early, you try to reason. Kyungrok must still be tired from working so late. Or maybe he’s working overtime and is still at the hospital. You wouldn’t put it past him to have pulled an unnecessary all-nighter. 

Despite your made-up excuses, the screen on your phone changes. Words appear one by one on the text screen until they come to an abrupt stop and disappear from the screen, only to be replaced with other helpless attempts—

“ _ **Are you busy today—**_ ”  
“ _ **Do you want to meet—**_ ”  
“ _ **Hey, Kyung, why don’t we—**_ ”

The words get lost amongst clumsy fingers and even clumsier thoughts, and suddenly the phone slips out of your grasp as you knock into something strong and sturdy. Your footsteps stumble over each other and from your other hand, the bag of dog food nearly falls from your hold. A firm grip catches you in time, catching you around your upper arm, while the other grabs hold of your purchase to help you.

Your phone falls to the pavement with a crack that is lost amongst the pitter-patter of rainfall, and of the cars passing by.

When you look up, it’s with even more of a shock. Hair normally the colour of frost looks like smoke against the backdrop of rain; Kim Jihyun blends into the atmosphere effortlessly, as the rain bounces off of his shoulders and casts a glow around his figure. He looks like an entity of the rain, neither here nor there, yet still hidden amongst the crowd but once noticed, cannot be forgotten.

Mint-coloured eyes mimic your expression of surprise. 

You laugh disbelievingly, and offer him a small greeting that causes him to promptly release his hold on you.

“S-sorry,” he says.

You shake your head and follow his gaze to your broken phone on the ground, then bend down to retrieve it. 

“Don’t be,” you mutter. “It’s not your fault.”

Despite your reassurance, the disappointed expression on your face must be apparent. He apologizes once again, and bends down beside you.

“It’s broken?” he asks, though the answer seems obvious.

“I thought third time’s supposed to be the charm, but I guess not.” It’s meant to be a teasing remark, a lighthearted comment, but only after you notice his reaction do you realize that the familiarity is not that yet apparent between the two of you yet; misunderstandings are bound to happen, and you grin wryly in response. “Seriously, don’t worry about it. I’m just talking to myself.”

Nevertheless, Jihyun still doesn’t look convinced. After a thoughtful second, he says, “Let me fix it for you. I know someone who’s good with electronics. Maybe it’s not a lost cause, after all.”

There’s irony in his words and in the situation, though you suppose it’s an irony that only you yourself are in on. 

You meet his gaze full-on now, and only now do you realize the exact situation that you are in. Neither you nor Jihyun have an umbrella with you and the rain bounces off your frames, soaking your clothes with water. Despite this, you remain kneeling in the rain with Jihyun beside you, and neither of you make haste to rise — you, in disappointment for your damaged phone, and Jihyun in sympathy for your situation. 

Helplessly, you finally rise from the ground and extend a hand out to him as you agree to go along with his suggestion. 

There’s no use being sad, you think. Although the words remain pixelated on your phone screen, barely readable and unsent, you know that there was never a guarantee that they would be sent in the first place. Furthermore, even if you did send the message, there was never a guarantee that the response — if any — would be the one that you’re looking for.

“ _ **Hey, Kyung, what exactly are we doing?**_ ”

—

Jihyun takes you to a small shop a few blocks away, secluded amongst the urban district of downtown Seoul. It’s barely noticeable aside from the small sign that hands over it, but the exterior is deceiving. Inside carries many more products than expected, almost overrun with shelves stocked with toys and knick-knacks. There’s barely any trace of electronics despite the sign on the front that says that they fix electronics there. 

Although he’s the one that’s supposed to be leading you, you notice how Jihyun lags slightly behind you, and how his fingers had hesitated over the front door. 

When the shop keep notices the two of you, he cries about the soaking messes that have entered his shop, but nevertheless fetches you both some napkins to dry yourselves with. His strange kindness is surprising, until you remember that he and Jihyun must know each other.

Despite this, you remain unsure of whether they truly are friends or not. The shop owner doesn’t seem happy to see him upon fully taking in your appearances, but he doesn’t seem annoyed either. Most prominent on his face is the curiosity — but somewhere amongst that, is also a concern that lingers in his eyes. 

“I’m sorry to come by unannounced,” Jihyun says after a moment, and you catch the way that he averts his gaze from the owner.

You know better than to intrude, and so, without saying anything, you distance yourself to wander around the store. Once you start to walk away, you can hear their voices fade out, frazzled by the rain outside and of the quiet pop music that plays from the speakers.

The store truly could be considered a hobby shop. Their inventory ranges from odd toys here and there, to books on the most spontaneous of topics, and—curiously enough, at the way back of the store, are a variety of snacks. There is even an freezer of ice cream, and even though you have not yet had lunch yet, the colourful packages tempt your sweet tooth.

Absently, you reach out for one, when someone calls out your name in wonder. You ignore the call for a second, and grab a pack of popsicles anyway.

“Do you to share half with me?” 

“I—um, I don’t really—“

You laugh at his awkward response, and shake your head. “Have you finished talking to your friend?”

“I… yes… We’ve finished talking. I… explained to him what happened to your phone. He said that he’ll have to look at it first to give a more accurate response.”

The hesitance in his voice is enough to invoke curiosity, but, once again, you do not press him for answers. You shrug your shoulders and follow him back to the front of the store where the shopkeep has already taken his laptop out. When you hand him your phone, he says that although there is the rice trick, there’s no guarantee of survivability for your device. 

“That’s fine,” you state. “If I have to buy a new phone, then I will. Is there any way that you can recover the files on it? I’m not really good at keeping up with backing up my phone…”

He grins widely, confidence blooming on his face. “Of course there is! Let me tell you something, miss, you might as well go buy the lottery ticket because your meeting me today is surely your lucky day.”

His reaction is surprising, but you have always had a soft spot for confident minds. You match his grin. “How long will it take?”

“I’ll put your files on a memory card, you can come back in an hour or two. We close at 6 today, so if you’re unable to come back by the end of the day, then you can come back tomorrow.”

As it turns out, you’re not really pressed for time. Being the sister of the boss has it’s perks — you’re not really obligated to work when you don’t want to or when you’re not needed. 

“I’ll come back later then,” you tell the owner, and then, surprisingly, turn to face Jihyun. “Do you want to get lunch with me?”

You hold onto the pack of frozen treats with one hand, and with the other, scour through your bag for enough change to pay for the treat. Despite asking him to get lunch with you, it looks as though you’re not really interested in hearing his answer. Your actions are further puzzling to the duo whose surprised gaze bypasses you completely, but when you finally turn back to look at Jihyun, expecting his answer, he seems stupefied.

“Lunch?” he repeats, after a moment.

You shrug. “It’s early, but it’ll stall for time. You don’t have to join me if you’re busy; I just thought I could buy you lunch for bumping into you and making you take me here.”

His shoulders relax instantly, and he takes on a rueful expression. “I didn’t help you because I wanted something.”

Before you can even open your mouth, the shop owner chimes in from behind the counter, beaming brilliantly, “Actually, it’s not a bad idea for you to get lunch. I’ll likely be finished by the time you get a nice meal and come back.”

This time, you don’t miss the incredulous look that Jihyun sends his friend—acquaintance?— and you find yourself frowning as you wonder again exactly what their relationship is. Though you won’t ask; you’ve been told that being nosy isn’t a good thing.

Thus, you’re left to remain silent yet again as you wait for his response.

“I mean… I guess… I’m not busy…”

For a moment, he looks bashful, like a young schoolboy admitting to something embarrassing. He brings a hand to scratch behind his neck and looks away, and you can’t help thinking how easy it would be to tease him…

“You guess?” you repeat.

“I’m not,” he confirms promptly, only to quickly realize his mistake. “I’m not busy.”

You grin widely, delighting in the way his cheeks alight and you suspect that it’s probably because he’s not used to being asked out before but you remain unbothered because you know it’s not like that. 

Ultimately, you take him to a restaurant nearby. As soon as you get seated, you shamelessly admit to yourself that you’ve probably taken advantage of a very nice man today. But in spite of it, you can’t help the giddy feeling of enjoying a meal together with another person — even if you’re not quite friends yet. 

“I’ve wanted to try this place for a while, actually,” you tell Jihyun, while perusing the menu. “I’ve actually heard that their rice cakes are really good. Do you want to share a plate with me?”

Opposite of you, Jihyun takes a sip of his water, regarding you carefully. You notice from the corner of your eye his tense posture, and you wonder if you’ve taken it too far in coercing the other man. After all, there’s still that incident from the other day, and Haneul did warn you that people might misunderstand your personality…

“Sorry,” you quickly apologize, with a small laugh. “I’ve been told that I can be… blunt about things.” Actually, the term had mostly been “aggressive” but you don’t like that word just because of how intense it sounds. “Are you uncomfortable? You really don’t have to eat with me.”

“It’s fine,” he reassures, without the usual hesitation that tends to come from him — though two conversations shouldn’t count for much, you tell yourself, in the back of your mind. “I’m not… uncomfortable. Just… surprised. Are you always this friendly?”

You almost snort in response. “I’ve been told that I’m rather shameless.”

“Shameless?” he repeats. “I don’t think you’re anything like that. It’s… courageous to be open and honest.”

You’re not sure if you’ve heard anyone put it that way, but, it does sound quite nice. You’ve often been told that you were too honest and straightforward, never brave. Although it often slips your mind, you have tried to become more mindful of yourself. 

Your lips twitch into a smile, and resume looking through the menu once again. “How about this nuna also treat you to a plate of mandu?“

He blinks, then settles for his own smile. “You should try the pork bone soup here. It’s very good.”

“You’ve been here before?”

He nods, and you mimic him. “I’ll trust your recommendation then.”

Shortly after, the server comes by and you place your order. 

When he leaves, you turn back to Jihyun, and ask, “Do you eat out often, then?”

He goes silent for a moment. He’s choosing his words carefully because he takes longer than necessary to respond. You’ve noticed this about him throughout your little interactions thus far. He’s a cautious person; his hesitance is obvious and the seconds tick by silently as you wait for his response. 

“I used to,” he replies quietly, and you can tell that he’s got a lot on his mind, for reasons that you’re not too sure of. “I’ve… started learning how to cook instead, so I don’t eat out as much as I used to.”

Somehow, you think that it suits him. He does seem the type to be a homebody and to know exactly what it is that he’s eating.

You, on the other hand, have never had much interest in learning how to cook complicated meals. Besides, the convenience of eating out as always suited your busy lifestyle more.

“I’ve always liked Korean food,” you state. “But I’m not very good at making it. No matter how hard I try, it never feels as authentic as when I get it here. The restaurants back home are never really the same, either.”

“Is Seoul not your home?”

“I was born here, but I moved overseas when I was young. I try to come back as often as I can though.”

“Where are you from then?”

“LA. I went to post-secondary school in Germany so I spend my time between LA and there. Have you ever been?”

For the first time, Jihyun responds enthusiastically. He tells you that he’s been to LA too many times for him to remember, but only to Germany a handful of times. He doesn’t tell you for what, and you don’t ask either, but the sparks in his eyes is undeniable. He tells you that he has always enjoyed travelling, but has never been able to decide what his favourite place is. 

When you ask him where he plans to go next, the joy in his eyes seem to dim, and his smile falls from his face. He shakes his head sadly, and tells you that he has no plans at the moment. 

Part of you wonder if it’s because he’s ill — Kyungrok told you back at the hospital, and you feel a twinge of guilt for bringing it up, but you’re not really supposed to know and you don’t want to come off as a creep either, so you hold your own tongue and offer him a small smile as an apology. Thankfully, at this moment, your server comes then and sets down a variety of side dishes. 

When you glance up, you’re able to catch a glimpse of an apologetic smile of his own.

“Do you have a dog?” he ends up asking, glancing at the bag of dog food beside you.

You instantly nod your head and instinctively reach for your phone, only to remember that it’s in repair. “Her name’s Luna. She’s a maltipoo and she’s too spoiled for her own good, but she’s harmless and super friendly. Once she gets comfortable with you, she never wants to leave your side, always has to be near you and petted.”

He grins in response. You speak with such fondness of your dog that it’s similar to the way Jumin raves about Elizabeth 3rd. 

“Do you have any pets?”

He shakes his head. “I’ve considered it, but, my job in the past did not allow me enough time to take care of a pet.”

It is understandable. Pets are a lot of work. Even though you are embarrassed to admit it, you reveal that you aren’t nearly as responsible as you should be, often lugging Luna to and fro your siblings’s or bringing her along with your extended travels. 

Although the middle of your meal had been somewhat awkward, by the time you’re close to finishing your meal, over an hour has passed. Naught a moment had been silent between the two of you, and you’re not sure whether it’s his doing or yours. He never struck you as the social type, but, Jihyun is surprisingly well at holding his own. 

Just before the server leaves to retrieve the bill, Jihyun suddenly orders for a few to-go boxes. You look at him in wonder, recalling how he admitted that he doesn’t eat out much anymore. 

“It’s for Luciel,” he says. “He… has a bad eating habit.”

You nod your head, assuming that Luciel must be the shop owner from earlier. Briefly, his response reminds you of someone else that also has a poor eating habit, but you decide not to mention it. 

By the time the two of you finally exit from the restaurant, it is well past noon. You proceed to the nearest electronics store to purchase a new phone, and then head back to the toy shop. 

True as Jihyun mentioned, Luciel works efficiently and effectively. He gives you a SD card with all of your previous files and even helps to set up your new phone for you. When you ask him how much his service is, he shakes his head and tells you that the first time is free of charge. It’s because of association, he says, for knowing a friend of his. 

The rest of your interaction is kept to a minimum. Luciel doesn’t speak much, nor does Jihyun, and you find that while both men are nice, the air remains thick with words unspoken. Though, you suppose that you shouldn’t judge. After all, even you can be clumsy with words yourself.

You smile helplessly, reminded of a similar incident in the past where your brothers had run out of words to say to each other in a time when they were both frustrated with each other. 

“Well, I should head out. Even though I was off today, I should still make sure that everything is running properly. Thank you for the help, Luciel.” Your gaze lands onto the bag of takeout food that Jihyun left on the counter, yet hadn’t been able to say that they were for the other man. “You should eat the food before it gets cold. Jihyun bought it specifically for you.”

Both mens’ eyes widen. Luciel turns to look at Jihyun, then—

He nods his head diligently, as his gaze softens. “I’ll eat well. Thank you for the food.”

Although you are sure that both men still have much to say to each other, you find that the air has shifted slightly. Perhaps there is still much to be said between them, but, sometimes, perhaps it does not need to be said, after all. 

“…Thank you for that,” Jihyuns says, once the two of you have left the shop.

“For what?”

“Letting Luciel know that the food was for him.”

You glance at his sorry figure, curious, but, not imposing. “You’re welcome. Thank you for keeping me company, today. I’m sure you must have been busy, especially with working for Mr. Han.”

“He seems that way, but, Jumin is not a bad boss.”

You smile, certain in his words, then offer him a ride back to his place as he walks you to your car. He shakes his head and tells you that his house is inconvenient. It is actually outside of the city, you learn.

“Actually, if you don’t mind, would you like to exchange contact info?”

He’s not normally an impulsive person, not that he considered himself one, though there are probably a lot of people ready to argue otherwise…

Yet, when he thinks about you driving off, and him being unsure of when you will meet again, he finds himself disheartened by the thought. It… had been nice to talk to someone who didn’t bring up his past, didn’t look at him with heartbreak or betrayal—or felt pity for him.

Perhaps he is desperate and helpless, grasping at straws, but, it has been a long time since he’s felt this way — normal and… human.

“I… have a boyfriend.”

Your response makes him go red. It’s then that he realizes how inappropriate his question might have been, immediately straightens, and apologizes.

You laugh at his earnest, shy nature. How could a grown man such as him still be so inexperienced?

When you respond with your phone number, he looks up with surprise written all over his face.

“I’m just letting you know first,” you tell him. “Just so that there aren’t any misunderstandings… I… It was nice to make a new friend today. I would very much like to keep in contact with you too, if that is alright.”

You have seen Jihyun smile a few times throughout your interactions with him, but, this time, when he does so, it is with the most brilliant of smiles.

—

Back at the store, Seven’s eyes don’t remove themselves from the bag of takeout food. He can smell the fragrant aroma of spices blend into the air, and it’s only a natural instinct for his stomach to growl. 

Old habits die hard, he admits to himself, thinking to the last time he actually sat down and ate. Living with Saeran has been… different. He’s often too busy worrying over his brother than to worry about his own meals, and their mornings are always a rush with Seven trying to domesticate himself. Breakfast is rushed and he usually makes too much noise for Saeran to sleep through, and in the end, it almost results in Saeran trying to put out a fire or to prevent the house from burning down…

In the end, it’s often true that he gives Saeran money for breakfast and lunch along the way to school…

His fingers nimbly undo the ties around the bags, and, when he sneaks a peak into the takeout boxes, it’s enough to make his mouth water.

There’s rice cakes, glass noodles, kalbi, and even some pork bone stew…

When a piece of meat promptly melts into his mouth and releases its juicy marinade, for a moment, Seven thinks that he’s found heaven. 

Then one of his hands start searching for spare utensils in the bag, and with his other hand, he grabs his phone out of his pocket. 

“ _ **Hey, don’t pick up any food later~**_  
 _ **We’ve already got a bunch~**_ ”  
“ _ **I’ll pick you up after your class, so just text me when you’re ready~**_ ”  
“ _ **See you later, baby bro♥**_ ”

He knows Saeran hates being babied, still feels embarrassed about it, and it makes Seven snicker. He will never get over teasing his younger brother.

Suddenly, the chopsticks still between his lips as he recalls where the food came from — specifically, _whom._

In the end, despite everything, he thinks, things could still be worse.

He glances around the toy store and thinks that he will close up early today, and pick up some new groceries. Tomorrow, he tells himself, he will make the perfect breakfast for his younger brother. Tomorrow, Saeran will be able to sleep in peacefully and the house won’t burn down.

Tomorrow, he tells himself, he will make the perfect eggs benedict with golden toast and sausages. 

In the end, although his life isn’t as glamorous as it was once assumed to be — gone are the days of foreign cars and high-end tech at his disposal, and a wealth most could only dream of — he thinks that he’s still quite happy with the way things have turned out. 

And he hopes that one day, those around him will also obtain a happiness of their own. That one day, they will learn to let go of their demons to start anew.

His free hand finds his phone again, and fingers run across the screen, rapidly moving in a fashion that he has developed over the years. Then he sets his phone down, face down, and starts to hum along with the song playing in the background—

“ _ **Hey, we didn’t really get to talk much.**_  
 _ **I was surprised to see you today, but,**_  
 _ **thank you for the food.**_  
 _ **I hope that you’re doing well, V.**_

_**You’re welcome to come visit again whenever you’re free.**_  
 _ **Your friend, too.**_ ”

…Unknowing of how much his words leave V looking forward to the tomorrow that will come.


End file.
